Fresh vegetables! How to start a vegetable garden in 8 simple steps

Choose the perfect place

A key factor for the success of your vegetable garden is choosing the ideal location for each. For example, vegetables with a large number of leaves can spend more time in the shade, while others require direct sunlight to survive. Most of the vegetables that are planted at home require direct exposure to the sun for a minimum of 6 hours and a maximum of 8 hours. The better the location of your vegetables, the more successful your harvest will be.

Make sure the drainage system is working properly for vegetables

Another aspect that you cannot overlook is taking care that every detail of the drainage system works perfectly. If the land where you plant is prone to flooding, try to plant your vegetables high enough so that the water does not accumulate. There is also the possibility that the ground is rock. In this case, it is necessary to remove all the stones that are around the area where you want to plant, since the type of surface could prevent the free growth of your vegetables.

Take care of the distance between one plant and another

The excitement of starting a home garden could cause you to overdo the number of vegetables you choose, resulting more often than not, in a limited or poor quality harvest. Experts recommend strategically placing plants about four feet apart, making sure you can get to the center of the planting without stepping on it.

Select the right vegetables

Did you know that the Cooperative Extension Service can guide you to plant the best vegetables? A quick reference will help you establish which types of vegetables have the best chance of growing in your garden. In general terms, there are at least ten types of vegetables that adapt to practically all climates; among these, lettuce, peppers, radishes, carrots, and tomatoes stand out.

Start planting in the ideal season

Don’t plant everything at the same time! This is because not all vegetables can grow optimally in any season of the year. For example, vegetables such as tomatoes or peppers benefit more from a hot climate, so they are usually planted at the beginning of spring or before the end of summer.

Get ready to give maintenance to your vegetables

Nature moves at its own pace and that’s why if you want to have a vegetable garden at home, it’s best to keep up with everything that happens before, during, and after the harvest. Tasks such as irrigation and pest prevention will be a constant in caring for a garden at home, although other aspects, such as harvesting and preparing the land, will occur sporadically.

Avoid pests

There are several ways to avoid pests, such as fish and algae emulsion that when applied once a month, help nourish the soil and prevent the spread of pests as much as possible. Another viable option is to plant flowers that attract certain insects that scare away the species that put your plantations at risk. Rotating plants could also help create confusion among predatory species.

Harvest your vegetables

Follow the advice of the experts to harvest at the exact moment: Try to set aside the first hour of the day to harvest your vegetables because when night comes they have recovered the moisture they had lost during the day. Starch formation can affect the color, consistency, and condition of vegetables. If you want these to be juicier, then you’ll want to pick them first thing in the morning—you might be surprised at how many vegetables you have at home!

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